Vehicle body convertible to ambulance use



ep 1951 F. H. MGCLINTOCK VEHICLE BODY CONVERTIBLE T0 AMBULANCE USE Filed June 15, 1949 A I v Patented Sept. 11, 1951 CONVERTIBLE TO ULANCE USE Freeman H. McClintock, Lansing, Mich.

' Application June 15, 1949, Serial No. 99,279

VEHICLE BODY AMB This invention relates to automobile bodies, and moreparticularly to the doors, and door pillars thereof. 1

The invention comprises a door pillar for automobile bodies of the four door sedan type, in which the door pillar is releasably connected to one door and to the body itself, whereby when the pillar is connected to a door, and both doors are opened, a stretcher may be readily placed in the automobile and the latter used as an ambulance. The invention is particularly characterized by a novel form of latch mechanism and handle that is convenient to operate, but which is concealed when the doors are closed; to prevent accidental operation of-the handle, as well as to improve the appearance of the automo-' bile body. I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevati nal view of an automobile body embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the improved pillar;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an automobile body I of the four door sedan type having side doors II and 1'2 hingedly connected to the body at their rear and front edges respectively so that they close and latch against a common center pillar [3. Above the doors is a roof rail I4 and at the bottom is a door sill member l5 of conventional construction to which the pillar I3 is releasably connected, as will be more fully described presently.

The pillar I3 is in the form of a sheet metal tubular member, the general cross-section of which is shown in Figure 4. It extends from the roof rail M to the sill l5 and is fashioned to fit tightly against those members. The upper and lower ends of the pillar are provided with end plates I6 and I1 respectively, preferably welded to the side walls of the pillar. The outer wall of the pillar I3 is provided with rabbets 18 which receive the door overlap flanges l9 and 20.

Mounted on the front and rear walls of the door pillar are the usual dove tail wedges 2| which are received in the conventional sockets in the doors. The pillar is also provided with latch scams; (Cl. 29628) 2 bolt keepers 22 in which the conventional latch bolts of the doors, and which are operated by handles 23 on the doors, are received.

The rear wall of the pillar I3 is also provided with sockets 24 and 25. These are in the form of shallow U-shaped metal members with the flanges thereof contacting the rear wall of the pillar. The sockets are fastened to the pillar by screws 26.

The front jamb surface of the rear door II is provided with two hook shaped fasteners 21, only the upper one of which is shown in Figure 4. One leg of each fastener is welded or otherwise secured to the jamb face of the door, while the other leg 21a is spaced therefrom. Each fastener is mounted on the door in horizontal registry with the corresponding socket 24 and 25 so that the leg 21o will enter the appropriate socket when the door II is closed against the pillar l3.

When the door H is closed against the pillar,

the dovetail 2|, the sockets 24 and 25, and the fasteners 21 maintain the door and pillar in vertical registry. The latch bolt on the door located in the keeper opening 22, and the door overlap flange 20 received in rabbet l8 maintain horizontal registry of the door and pillar.

Latch mechanism for releasably connecting the pillar l3 to the roof rail l4 and sill I5 is also provided. This mechanism comprises a toggle mechanism for operating an upper bolt 28 and a lower bolt 29. The bolts are mounted in vertical guideways 30 within the hollow pillar and are received in keeper openings 3| in the roof rail and sill.

The bolts 28 and 29 are slotted at their adjacent ends. A pair of links 32 and 33 are pivotally connected to the bolts by pins 34 mounted in the slots. The other ends of the links 32 and 33 are pivotally connected to a rocking lever 35 which is in turn pivotally connected by a shaft 31 to a mounting plate 35. The latter is welded or otherwise secured to the pillar inside of the latter.

The shaft 31 is fixedly attached to a handle the door I2 is closed. The handle 38 is then com- 5 pletely concealed and is prevented from accidental movement as long as door I2 is closed.

The handle '38 can be operated to releas the latch bolts 2'8 and 29} by opening :the door l2 to,

piece is grasped and pulled outwardly and downwardly. The handle swings out through the slot 40, and through the lever 35 and linl s32 and 33 l v the bolts 28 and 29 are retracted. The door-1 I;

can then be pulled open carrying with it the 15 pillar l3. That opens the entire sideof-the aus tomobile body and permits aestretcher. to -bet placed inside the body.

When the pillar is attached to the body-thy:

aiths u .ua. .:,maaee y equat n evs qaeba ilQ -l, m. z ha qareni na ishboltsare-r w leased it eathed a s am.. he. i ar;aadr wans n a d y-i he pqrm ry v V ieiat eyf r Q gi w l be eei tthis -11 nt n; :P 'QVi n le ndefi etive wane- 1: l i ?;9Ql. l 2w u d ;e omqbi ebo yto ambulance use. The invention issafe and at;

sa ire-be use Pi Way in w ch ihehand 301;

38; .;;is cone(ta led and; prevented from, accidental mqrem nt wi (d e v e l a e-=1 Thascq to' l e nt nti n is t-i a ed'iai a neee e ls e mr -g V '1. .The. combination of a Vehicle mayo-cr niaea-a li tvp d wit n mam 1 .aaa ne & t e e d fi e nl trb -t l and b m ea Pil ar,- b i i s d mat nee-s m: between the front and rear ends thereof, said, L; ra ei aip mi edl With-l tc sansen aaam th t is rai tam-m9 abl :l t h aa id lan ee asaid: ra s; id; :,-,1at@,h, .im anta-v vin e; andleil ai bdlpart lly exi r eii y of s d-p ide iv in, it it a tdly t n n 1 meta ea Pa; 9 @Q rt ihie edlrcqnps t d a body, one .o li a d-fl q sfb ip l qr dei g th; Q9r-.-9 l a e p l a and n nssa hag dlewhen said last mentioned door, ,isclosed.

fixedly connecting said pillar to said last mentioned door so as to swing as a unit therewith when the latch means on the pillar is disengaged from said rails.

2. A vehicle body comprising top and bottom rails partially defining an entrance space at one sid of said body, a vertical pillar bridging said space intermediate the front and rear ends thereot t lr e ns m ea r a jz illar en ageable with said rails for latching the latter to said rails, a rigid handle for operating said latch -means, said handle being located exteriorly of saidepillarin a recess in the outer face thereof,

' firstaalld second doors hingedly connected to said ess? 1 body and having latch means adapted to latch said doors-against said pillar, said first door having a doomoverlap flange overlying said handle when said first "door is closed, and cooperating doveutail elements on said pillar and said second the bolts 28 and 29, both doors can be operated 20 mist-arse; a z; l a an l tch tex o i id :1 a. .hla ip q nm e r a dsmllan i a dTainan oq t whereby it is concealed by said other dqor when; the latter is closed and is accessible torelease said l are ramehe;q odrwheai id tether i easopened.

. nnrmsmcasgc rnngf be The following references are of records imathe filenof .this L patents; 1

' UNITED STATES-PATENTS umb r-t, ate-l; 5 91 7 7 r llill s hfi d ;-;-v-.-.l-v-w Au 1 27a and neans onsaid pillar andsaid: other door'for; 50 1,369,274 I Phillips Jlily 26, 321 

